A variety of fiber optic switches have been produced or proposed primarily for optical communications. These switches rely on conventional nematic liquid crystals. While these conventional devices are have permitted successful optical switching they have some significant drawbacks.
The most serious problem with conventional optical switches is that they are relatively slow. While optical communications networks would appear to have great advantages over electronic networks, the conventional nematic switches can only operate in the range of 1-100 milliseconds which limits network speed.
Another problem with conventional optical switches is a lack of memory and numerous stability states. Unpowered nematic type switches may quickly become disordered and thus fail to direct optical signals according to the most recently selected path. In other words, such conventional switches do not have a memory and if left unpowered may give haphazard and undesired results.
In view of the above, a need exists for fast acting optical switches that will allow increased operating speeds in fiber optic networks.
A further need exists for compact optical switches that allow further miniaturization of optical components.
Yet another needs exits for stable optical switches that continue to direct optical signals along preselected paths after removal of activating signals.